ROCKET RACER

Real Name: Robert "Bob" Farrell

Identity/Class: Human technology user

Occupation: Mercenary, engineer, inventor; former student, US Air Force cadet, criminal

Group Membership: None;
      formerly Avengers Academy student body (Batwing/Jimmy Santini, Butterball/Emery Schaub, Finesse/Jeanna Foucault, Hazmat/Jenny Takeda, Hollow, Lightspeed/Julie Power, Mettle/Ken Mack, Ricochet/Johnny Gallo, Reptil/Humberto Lopez, Juston Seyfert, She-Hulk/Llyra, Striker/Brandon Sharpe, Turbo/Mickey Musashi, White Tiger/Aya Ayala, Wiz Kid/Takashi Matsuya, X-23/Laura Kinney), Jeremy Briggs's organization, MODOK's 11 (Armadillo/Antonio Rodriguez, Living Laser/Arthur Parks, Mentallo/Marvin Flumm, MODOK/George Tarleton, Nightshade/Tilda Johnson, Puma/Thomas Firehart, Spot/Johnathan Ohnn, Ultra-Adaptoid (posing as Chameleon)), the Outlaws (Paladin, Prowler/Hobie Brown, Puma/Thomas Firehart, Sandman/William Baker, Silver Sable/Silver Sablinova, Will O' The Wisp/Jackson Arvad), Silver Sable International, Tombstone's crew

Affiliations: Avengers (Captain America/Steve Rogers, Quasar/Wendell Vaughan, Sersi, She-Hulk/Jen Walters, Thor/Odinson), Avengers Academy staff (Giant-Man/Hank Pym, Hawkeye/Clint Barton, Quicksilver/Pietro Maximoff, Tigra/Greer Nelson), Awesome Andy, "Big Ben" Donovan, Black Hole (Morton Kribbee), Mallory Book, Candy Man, Captain Marvel (Monica Rambeau), Professor Carlsberg, 8-Ball (Hobgoblin agent), Excalibur (Captain Britain/Brian Braddock, Meggan, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Phoenix/Rachel Summers, Shadowcat/Kitty Pryde), Gibbon (Martin Blank), Hypno-Hustler (Antoine Delsoin), Derek Khanata, Tony Paretti, Power Man (Victor Alvarez), Paris Scott, Ernie Sluganski, Spider-Man (Peter Parker), Spider-Man (Ben Reilly), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew), Sheriff Andy Taylor, Tinkerer (Phineas Mason), Tombstone (Lonnie Lincoln), Vulture (Adrian Toomes), White Rabbit (Lorena Dodson), Gary Wilsen, Wong;
   possibly Deadpool ("Wade Wilson"), Doop, Frog-Man (Eugene Patilio), Howard the Duck, the Pink Sphinx, She-Man-Thing, the Vile Tapeworm

Enemies: Big Wheel (Jackson Weele), black cloud entity, Bounty Hunter (Tommy Barrett), Boussard, C.I.T.Y., Hornet (Eddie McDonough), the Infinicide, Iron Fist (Danny Rand), Kangaroo (Brian Hibbs), John King, Mandarin (Temujin), Monica Rappaccini, the Packrats (Bert and Hubie Packer), Punisher (Frank Castle), Rocket Racer (Henry Sleeman), Skinhead, Space Phantom, Speed Demon (James Sanders), Spider-Man (Miles Morales of Earth-1610), Spot (Johnathan Ohnn), El Toro Negro (Sergio Torres), Professor Walshe, an unidentified bail bondsman;
      formerly Avengers (Captain America/Steve Rogers, Quasar/Wendell Vaughan, Sersi, She-Hulk/Jen Walters, Thor), Excalibur (Captain Britain/Brian Braddock, Meggan, Nightcrawler/Kurt Wagner, Phoenix/Rachel Summers, Shadowcat/Kitty Pryde), Spider-Woman (Jessica Drew)

Known Relatives: Emma Johnson Farrell (mother), unidentified father, three unidentified younger sisters, three unidentified younger brothers (shown sibling)

Aliases: None

Base of Operations: Brooklyn, New York City;
     formerly Harlem, New York City and Empire State University

First Appearance: Amazing Spider-Man I#172 (September, 1977)

Powers/Abilities: Bob is a very talented mechanical and electrical engineer and is largely self-taught and capable of using recycled materials for his inventions. Even without his technology, Bob is a talented skateboarder.

His skateboard is powered by micro-rockets, which are miniature jet turbines fueled by hydrazone and nitrous oxide. The board's wheels (as well as his boots and costume) contain special gyroscopes that allow him to maintain his balance even when riding directly up a vertical surface. The board also contains a space fuel supply to which he can switch when he is warned by his electrical systems that he is running low.

Bob's headset/helmet/visor contains cybernetic elements that allow him to convert his brain impulses into radio waves that control the movement of his board.

His boots contain a magnetic clamping system that keeps Bob attached to his board and allows his cybernetics system to remain in contact with the board. This magnetic system has been demagnetized in the past and Bob has improved on his designs to prevent it from happening again.

Bob wears gloves that contain "mini-rockets", which are explosives that he can fire at will. The gloves also contain jet turbines like his board that allow him to deliver "rocket-powered" punches with more force than normal.

Often his costume designs include a helmet and padding designed to protect him, and occasionally a satchel for carrying things. Bob tinkers with his inventions and his gear frequently, trying to improve upon his designs.

On one mission for Silver Sable, he used smoke grenades, but those may have been provided for him. When working with MODOK, Bob drove a submarine he called the Nautilus Junior, but it is unclear if this was his own invention or was provided by MODOK.

Height: 5'10"
Weight: 160 lbs.
Eyes: Brown
Hair: Black

History:

(Spectacular Spider-Man I#104 (fb)) - Robert Farrell was the oldest of seven children born to his parents and living in Harlem (though he was born in Brooklyn). When his father left the family, Bob helped to support his family. Bob worked while in high school, but still excelled in his science classes. To get a higher education he joined the Air Force, but when his mother became sick and was unable to support the family or pay her medical bills, Bob made the decision to turn to crime.

(Spectacular Spider-Man I#104 (fb) - BTS) - Bob got the raw materials for his inventions from a junk yard near his neighborhood.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#172 (fb) - BTS) - Bob spent months working on his board, until it became like an extension of himself, and developed other devices before going public.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#172) - After stealing a briefcase full of bonds and securities from a courier on Wall Street, Bob tried to escape, but was captured by Spider-Man, who left him webbed up on the hood of a police car.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#182 (fb) - BTS) - After getting out of jail, Bob had the Tinkerer upgrade his board's micro-rockets and redesign his gyro-skates, greatly increasing his performance.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#183 (fb) - BTS) - The Tinkerer's deal with the Racer was that the Tinkerer would get 25% of the take from crimes.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#182 (fb) - BTS) - Jackson Weele offered to pay the Rocket Racer ten thousand dollars in cash if he retrieved a briefcase full of evidence that proved Weele was guilty of embezzling.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#182) - Having stolen the briefcase, the Rocket Racer encountered Spider-Man again, though he escaped the hero this time. Racer took the case to Weele, but kept the most damning evidence and refused to give it over unless Weele paid twenty thousand. Out of costume, Bob visited his mother in the hospital, unaware that he was near Peter Parker who was visiting his own aunt. After escaping some police officers, Racer again attracted the notice of Spider-Man. They fought until the Racer escaped by hiding in a smokestack.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#183) - At the hospital where his mother was sharing a room with May Parker, Bob assured his mother that their need for money to pay bills outweighed the risk he may go back to jail. The arrival of Peter Parker led to a fight that continued outside the hospital, where Weele, now as the Big Wheel and using technology from the Tinkerer, attacked the Racer. The fight ended when the Big Wheel careened into the Hudson River and Spider-Man attempted to save him, allowing the Racer time to escape.

(Spectacular Spider-Man I#104 (fb)) - The Racer had another encounter with Spider-Man and the police during which Racer was caught in a web and captured by the police who demagnetized his boot-clamps. After this defeat Ned Leeds wrote an article about Bob for Now Magazine, titled "A Small-Time Crook with Big Ideas", that detailed Bob's life.

(Spectacular Spider-Man I#104 (fb)) - Noting the reasons for Bob's turn to crime, and the strong ties to his community, the judge allowed him to post bail. Since the family did not have the funds, they borrowed from a bail bondsman. The Farrells struggled to make payments even as friends put up their homes and businesses as security, because the bondsman continued to raise interest rates and threatened to foreclose on all those who were helping Bob. The bondsman even went so far as to suggest that Bob return to crime to make payments.

(Spectacular Spider-Man I#104 (fb) - BTS) - After this defeat, Bob modified the design of his magnetic boot clamps so they could not be undone the same way again.

(Spectacular Spider-Man I#104 (fb)) - Bob finally gave in and returned to his criminal career.

(Spectacular Spider-Man I#104) - The bondsman sent the Bounty Hunter after the Rocket Racer, with the intention of killing him as an example for later clients. Their conflict led to more encounters with Spider-Man, who learned Bob's life story and came to his aid. Bob was so unhappy with what his life had become that he was almost willing to give up to the Bounty Hunter, but was unwilling to let Spider-Man die to save him. Working together, the Racer and Spider-Man defeated the Bounty Hunter. Bob refused to flee anymore and was prepared to accept any punishment that would come his way.

(Web of Spider-Man I#50 (fb) - BTS) - The events with Spider-Man's help helped convince Bob to go back to college and finish getting his engineering degree.

(Web of Spider-Man I#50) - Bob saw a Daily Bugle headline claiming Spider-Man was a thief and refused to believe it. As the Rocket Racer, he investigated the scene of the crime, where he encountered the Prowler. Believing him to be the true culprit, he attacked the Prowler until they realized they were on the same side. They investigated together, which led to another misunderstaning, with Racer and the Prowler fighting Silver Sable, Sandman, and Spider-Man, only to be joined by Puma and Will O' The Wisp. When the misunderstandings were cleared up, Silver Sable offered them all freelance work with her organization.

(Web of Spider-Man I#56 (fb) ) - Bob was accepted into Empire State University. He brought his mother and one of his sisters with him to campus as he registered for Summer classes, only for the three of them to be accosted by white supremacists led by Eddie Cross. Though they were saved by other students, Bob was angered and took his Rocket Racer costume out of storage.

(Web of Spider-Man I#56) - When Eddie Cross' neo-Nazi organization violently protested the opening of a Hall of Afro-American Studies at Empire State University, Rocket Racer attacked them. Spider-Man intervened, and tried to convince Bob to leave them for the police. During a fight, Eddie the Cross lifted a jar of chemicals over his head, and Bob fired a mini-rocket at it, causing the chemicals to pour over Eddie, apparently burning away his skin. Bob fled, seeking medical help for Eddie.

(Web of Spider-Man I#57 (fb) - BTS) - When Racer returned to the scene with paramedics, both Eddie and Spider-Man were gone.

(Web of Spider-Man I#57) - Bob and Spider-Man tried to find Eddie, believing he could be hurt. Bob tracked down Eddie Cross' father and went to the address, where he was attacked by Skinhead. Spider-Man soon arrived and the villain was defeated.

(Spectacular Spider-Man Annual I#10/4 (fb) - BTS) - Bob accepted Silver Sable's offer for work and began taking jobs when he had time off of school.

(Spectacular Spider-Man Annual I#10/4 (fb)) - After not getting any cases for some time, Bob thought Silver Sable International had lost interest in him. When offered a job to capture the Packrats by Sable employee Mr. Sluganski, Bob was at first hesitant because they reminded him of himself, Sluganski insisted that if he couldn't do that job, he'd not be hired for future jobs.

(Spectacular Spider-Man Annual I#10/4) - In Medina County, Ohio, the Racer fought the Packrats as they used weapons that once belonged to the victims of the Bar With No Name massacre. In the process of the mission, Bob struck up a friendship with the local Sheriff Taylor and after the criminals were captured the two went fishing.

(Marvel Tales II#242) - On a mission for Silver Sable, the Racer tangled with Speed Demon. In the process of their fight, Speed Demon was injured and swore that he would make the Racer pay. Bob was impressed to get his first supervillain vow of vengeance, but was disappointed when Sluganski revealed the Speed Demon was trying to sue for intentional infliction of emotional distress.

(Spectacular Spider-Man I#169) - Spider-Man reunited the Rocket Racer, Prowler, Sandman, and Puma to help him investigate the Avengers after Spider-Man was misled by Space Phantom posing as She-Hulk. During the investigation, Sandman seemingly attacked the Racer (though this was also actually the Space Phantom). Bob escaped, and attacked the real Sandman when he found him. This fight was broken up by Spider-Man.

(Spectacular Spider-Man I#170) - The Space Phantom caused a fight to break out between the team and the Avengers. Eventually the teams realized the deception and joined forces to combat a black cloud entity that had been awakened by the Arcane Order of the Night, which was secretly the goal Space Phantom's employer, Calculus, had had in mind. After the monster was defeated, the teams parted on good terms.

(Marvel Tales II#250 (fb)) - Professor McKimson hired Silver Sable International to recover C.I.T.Y., a robot he had designed to keep the subways tidy, which had been mugged and gone on a rampage. Sluganski put Rocket Racer on the job.

(Marvel Tales II#250) - Racer was able to stop the C.I.T.Y. robot, but only by damaging it, which displeased Sluganski. Bob insisted that he could use his engineering skills to repair the damage (though it did proceed to trash Sluganski's office).

(Excalibur I#36) - A mission to England alongside Silver Sable, Sandman, and Paladin led to a fight against the superhero team Excalibur and then against rampaging clones created by Professor Walshe, a faulty duplicate of Arnim Zola.

(Web of Spider-Man Annual I#7/2) - After Speed Demon's lawsuit against the Racer was dismissed, the villain attacked Sluganski to lure Bob into a fight. Bob won, and Sluganski revealed that he was now confident Bob was ready for more serious jobs. Bob was happy that he could now think of himself as a real hero, and vowed to make his technology better.

(Amazing Spider-Man Annual I#25/2) - Late for an exam, Bob was commuting to school as the Rocket Racer when he saw a classmate, Tony Paretti, in trouble with drug dealers whom Paretti had worked for but was trying to quit. Racer beat up the criminals and threatened them if they should retaliate against Paretti. This made Bob even later for his exam, only to find Silver Sable there waiting for him with a job offer. He gladly accepted, deciding he could make up the exam later. Sable assembled Bob, as well as Hobie Brown and Will O' The Wisp to use them as part of a quick strike team called the Outlaws. Their first job was to rescue Michelle Tiers LeBon, who had been kidnapped by radicals who had also hired Sandman for protection.

(Spectacular Spider-Man Annual I#11/2) - In Quebec, Prowler and Rocket Racer wondered if Will O' The Wisp would be a reliable teammate, though Bob reasoned that if Will left, they'd get more of the action. When Sable's men located the radicals, the Outlaws fought their way in, where they encountered Sandman.

(Web of Spider-Man Annual I#7/6) - The Outlaws fought Sandman while Silver Sable sought the kidnapping victim. Sandman beat Prowler and Racer when Will O' The Wisp decided not to fight, which led to Bob agreeing with Prowler that they should ask Sable to fire Will.

(Marvel Comics Presents I#97/4) - Bob hung out at a Bar With No Name location hoping that some trouble would start up and he would be able to capture a villain or two and get the rewards out on them. As soon as a fight began, though, he was immediately punched through a table and the fight was soon stopped by Angar the Screamer.

(The Hood I#1 (fb) - BTS) - Rocket Racer once caught John King and got him arrested.

(Captain Marvel II#2) - When Skinhead turned up again as a member of the Sons of the Serpent, he was fought by Captain Marvel on campus. Bob witnessed the fight and wished he had his Rocket Racer gear with him. When Skinhead escaped, Bob told Captain Marvel about him so she could track him down.

(Spider-Man Unlimited I#14 (fb) - BTS) - Rocket Racer and Prowler stopped getting regular work for Silver Sable International, and sought other sources of income. They learned about the Great Game, a contest in which wealthy people bet on superhuman fights, Bob and the Prowler got sponsors and staged a fight, planning to split the earnings. Bob also claimed to have "new improved" equipment.

(Spider-Man Unlimited I#14) - The staged fight between Rocket Racer and the Prowler was interrupted by El Toro Negro, a real competitor in the Game, and his actions resulted in Racer and Prowler being injured.

(Sensational Spider-Man I#17 (fb) ) - Before bringing Hobie to the hospital, Bob cut away as much of the Prowler costume as he could, to protect Hobie's identity, but because Hobie's back was injured, could not risk removing it all.

(Spider-Man Unlimited I#14) - In the hospital, Bob was chided by his mother, then visited by Spider-Man (Ben Reilly). Bob explained his situation and identified his own sponsor, Paris Scott, so Spider-Man could investigate.

(Revenge of the Sinister Six (fb) - BTS) - Apparently in need of money again, Bob teamed up with villains Candy Man and Black Hole to make an attempt to rob the Fifth Avenue Swiss Currency Exchange. They were soundly defeated by Spider-Man. Footage of this fight won a prize on America's Funniest Home Videos.

(Amazing Spider-Man II#13 (fb) - BTS) - Robbie was befriended by a man calling himself "Troy".

(Amazing Spider-Man II#13) - "Troy" revealed that he had only been posing as Bob's friend to steal the Rocket Racer gear and start a criminal career of his own. He left Robbie tied up and unconscious. When he woke up, Bob managed to dial his cellphone with his tongue and call the police, but still had to wait a half an hour for them to arrive. He warned them that the skateboard that was stolen was his most powerful yet.

(Peter Parker: Spider-Man I#55 (fb) - BTS) - Bob graduated from university, with massive student loan debt.

(All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z I#9 - BTS) - Bob's criminal record made it hard for him to find work in engineering.

(The Loners I#2 (fb)) - During an attempted crime, Rocket Racer was stopped by the Hornet.

(Spider-Man's Tangled Web I#5) - While being brought into a high-security pison, Bob and the Gibbon shared a laugh at the sight of Rhino being restrained and fed from a tube.

(All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z I#9 - BTS) - Bob escaped from the prison during the chaos caused by Rhino escaping.

(Spider-Man's Tangled Web I#13) - Bob hung out in New York's Bar With No Name, presumably laying low, as he was now an escaped convict.

(All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z I#9 - BTS) - Upon being recaptured, Bob was sent to the Cage, where the power-nullifying field and drugs used to keep the convicts in line addled his mind and caused him to act unintelligent and out of character, including starting smoking.

(Spider-Man's Tangled Web I#16) - Bob, along with Big Ben and Hypno-Hustler, were recruited into Tombstone's crew. Tombstone led them in an attack on his rival, Kangaroo, though the guards arrived before they could kill him.

(Spider-Man's Tangled Web I#17) - Kangaroo and his crew beat Bob, Big Ben, and Hypno-Hustler as retribution.

(All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z I#9 - BTS) - Hollywood executive Gary Wilsen arranged Bob's release from prison.

(Peter Parker: Spider-Man I#55 (fb) - BTS) - Wilsen was part of a scheme to arrange superhuman fights so they could profit off illegal bets on the outcome. Each participant in the scheme provided a fighter and had them go up against Spider-Man, and Wilsen provided Rocket Racer, seeing him as a source of camp value that he thought would appeal to audiences. To this end, he provided Bob with new gear, including an (even more) garish costume that included nipples.

(Peter Parker: Spider-Man I#54 - BTS) - So confident was Wilsen that Rocket Racer would be an audience-pleasing show stopper that he kept him in reserve as a "secret weapon". When the other villains had been defeated, Wilsen summoned Bob.

(Peter Parker: Spider-Man I#55) - Though Wilsen's partners were not impressed by the Racer, Bob was sent to fight Spider-Man, though his attempt to make a stylish exit was ruined when he crashed into a shatterproof window. By the time Racer began his fight with Spider-Man, the hero had caught on what was happening to him, and refused to fight back and provide the desired entertainment. Bob beat Spider-Man until he got the order to kill him, which Bob refused to do. Bob talked with Spidey, assuring him he never had any intent to kill him, which Spidey said he knew and appreciated. As he left, Bob dropped a note for Spider-Man with the address of Wilsen and the others, so the hero could bring them down.

(Punisher War Journal II#4) - Bob, out of costume, attended the wake of Stilt-Man (Wilbur Day). He mingled with Will O' The Wisp and Puma. Eventually a fight broke out, which was broken up by the arrival of Spider-Man. After Spider-Man left with Prowler and Puma, the remaining mourners, Bob included, fell ill from poisoned drinks, and were caught in an explosion caused by the Punisher, who had been posing as the bartender.

(She-Hulk II#17 (fb) - BTS) - Most of those who had attended the wake, presumably including Bob, had to have their stomaches pumped and be treated for third degree burns.

(Civil War: Battle Damage Report - BTS) - When the Superhuman Registration Act was passed, Bob assumed that since he had no powers, he didn't need to register. When he learned he was mistaken, he did register.

(Mighty Avengers I#1 - BTS) - Having registered, Bob appeared on a screen of potential recruits for the Avengers.

(Breaking into Comics the Marvel Way#1/4) - After some unrevealed crime, Rocket Racer was captured by Iron Fist and Spider-Woman.

(Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#1 (fb) - BTS) - Bob's mother lapsed into a coma. Unable to pay her medical bills, he took her to his new base in Brooklyn and had her hooked up to life support machines there. Bills continued to pile up. Apparently due to the stress, Bob became more withdrawn and developed a stutter.

(Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#1) - Bob (and Puma) were among eight super-criminals summoned by MODOK to meet at an abandoned garage. When they arrived, MODOK recruited them for a heist.

(Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#2) - MODOK ran his recruits through a "psymulation" of their heist to prepare them to steal a device called the Hypernova from the Infinicide, a group of temporal cartographers from the end of time. Serving as the team's driver, Bob summoned a submarine to bring the team to China for the heist.

(Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#4 (fb) - BTS) - Bob arranged a deal with S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Derek Khanata in which he'd bring them the Hypernova, for a fee.

(Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#3 BTS) - While the rest of the team pulled off the heist, Bob waited for them. The heist went bad when the Spot betrayed the team and gave the Hypernova to the Mandarin.

(Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#4) - Still waiting in the Uyghur village for the team to arrive back from the heist, Bob made a phone call, ostensibly to his mother, detailing his location (and noting that he had a crush on Nightshade). When the team showed up, Bob revealed his getaway vehicle, a much larger version of the Big Wheel that Jackson Weele once used to try to kill him. MODOK had the team pursue the Mandarin, and when they reached the Hypernova, Bob took it for himself and made a getaway on his board, pursued by Monica Rappaccini using her Ultra-Adaptoid. Bob made another phone call to "mother" who was actually S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Derek Khanata who was nearby with S.H.I.E.L.D. forces that had been there to ambush the team.

(Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#5) - Rappaccini, with the Ultra-Adaptoid, used a hex bolt to cause Bob's board to malfunction. He was injured and Monica claimed the Hypernova.

(Avengers Academy I#21 (fb) - BTS) - Bob was among many heroes who joined the Avengers Academy.

(Avengers Academy I#21) - At Avengers Academy campus, Rocket Racer raced against Wiz Kid.

(Avengers Academy I#23) - Still at the campus, he played frisbee with Ricochet, Power Man, and Llyra.

(Avengers Academy I#26) - Bob was present when Jeremy Briggs made his case that the Avengers Academy students could find better ways to use their abilities to benefit the world than as superheroes. He was perfectly willing to join Briggs if his criminal record was not an issue and it paid well. He left the Avengers Academy alongside several others.

(Young Avengers II#11 - BTS) - Bob was on a text chain getting a message from White Tiger about an otherworldly threat called Mother that could only be fought by teenagers.

(Axis: Hobgoblin#1) - Rocket Racer was among the many costumed characters who attended Roderick Kingsley's seminars on how to become a hero.

(Power Man & Iron Fist III#2) - Bob and the Hypno-Hustler discussed Luke Cage and Iron Fist getting their Heroes for Hire business back together.

(Occupy Avengers I#4 - BTS) - Some time later, when Nightshade thought back to the team once assembled by MODOK, Bob was among those recalled.

Comments: Created by Len Wein (writer), Ross Andru (pencils) and Frank Giacoia (inks).

    I've placed his graduation from ESU before his appearances in Tangled Web to help justify his being a criminal again in those. Also, I have disagreed with the placement of Bob's fight with the Hornet in the Loners flashback, as listed in the OHotMU because it was there placed at a point at which Hornet should have been dead. Again I placed it before Tangled Web to suggest how he went to prison.

    He is first seen wearing glasses during the Tangled Web stories in which he's in prison. Several arbitrary changes that characters in that story experienced were explained away by the Cage's means of controlling prisoners (including Bob's smoking and general demeanor), but the glasses have continued at least into the MODOK's Eleven story, so he may genuinely wear glasses now.

    In Web of Spider-Man I#56, Bob said he took a high school equivalency test and passed with a perfect score to get into ESU. I'm not sure why he needed that, since he'd graduated high school and done some higher education already with the Air Force. Also, the teen heroes in Young Avengers reached out to Rocket Racer, he was connected to White Tiger in their text chain apparently, but he is in his mid-twenties (he was 23 years old as of Spectacular Spider-Man I#104), so it makes sense that he didn't show up in the later issues of that story.

    At both Stilt-Man's wake in Punisher War Zone and at the Bar With No Name in MCP#97 Bob can be seen hanging out around the jukebox. I guess he's the type who likes to be in charge of music at a party.

    Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars is one of the many Deadpool-centric flashback stories, whose canocity within the Marvel Universe is questionable.
--Markus Raymond

Profile by Patrick Ryall

CLARIFICATIONS:
Rocket Racer should not be confused with:

• Rocket of Ultraverse, partner of Blast @ All-New Exiles#9
• Rocket Central, satellite headquarters of the Squadron Supreme @ Defenders I#11
• Rocketeers, seekers of the Torpedo suit @ Daredevil I#131
• Rocket Launcher, member of the Death Squad @ Iron Man III#1
• Rocket Raccoon, Halfworld, captain of the Rakk'n'Ruin @ Marvel Preview#7
• Rocket-Racer, vessel used by Space Sentinels @ Speed Carter#1
• Rocket Racer, Henry Sleeman, Spider-Man foe @ Amazing Spider-Man II#13
• or any other guys on rocket-powered skateboards

Emma Johnson Farrell

Emma Johnson Farrell is the mother of Bob Farrell and six other children. After her husband left her, Bob tried to help her with the family's bills. Her health has deteriorated over the years, with her ending up in a coma.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#182 - BTS) - Though Emma was not seen, Bob visited the hospital where Emma was ill.

(Amazing Spider-Man I#183) - Emma shared a hospital room with May Parker. While Bob visited, Emma begged him to give up the life of crime, but he reminded her how badly they needed the money. When Spider-Man showed up and Bob attacked him, Emma worried that the hero was some kind of monster.

(Spectacular Spider-Man II#104 (fb)) - When Bob faced trial for his crimes, Emma wept in the courtroom. Bob was awarded bail and the family used a bail bondsman to pay it, but could not make the payments as the bondsman repeatedly raised the interest rates. She begged Bob not to turn to crime, but he did.

(Spectacular Spider-Man II#104) - When Spider-Man arrived at the family's apartment, Emma explained the family's situation to him.

(Web of Spider-Man I#50) - She was present at the breakfast table as Bob read a newspaper article about Spider-Man.

(Web of Spider-Man I#56 (fb) ) - Bob brought Emma and one of the girls to ESU as he was registering for classes. They were attacked by neo-Nazis.

(Punisher War Journal II#4 - BTS) - When asked how his mother was doing, Bob said she had good days and bad.

(Super-Villain Team-Up II#1 (fb) - BTS) - Emma's condition worsened and she lapsed into a coma. Unable to pay her medical bills, Bob took her to his new base in Brooklyn and had her hooked up to life support machines.

(Super-Villain Team-Up II#1) - Comatose, Emma was present while MODOK used her image to summon Bob.

--Amazing Spider-Man I#183 (Amazing Spider-Man I#183, Spectacular Spider-Man II#104, Web of Spider-Man I#50, Web of Spider-Man I#56, Super-Villain Team-Up II#1

younger siblings

Bob has six younger siblings, but we've only met a handful. It is unknown what became of them after Emma went into her coma. It is possible that there is one or two who are, like Bob, legally adults who are also struggling to take care of the younger ones. It's also possible they've been placed into foster care.


Sibling A - A younger brother. Possibly the second youngest of the kids.

(Spectacular Spider-Man II#104) - When Spider-Man showed up at their apartment, this young boy at first yelled at the hero, but when Spider-Man convinced the family he was trying to help Bob, the boy suggested Bob might be at a nearby junk yard.

(Web of Spider-Man I#50) - Was present at the breakfast table as Bob read a newspaper article about Spider-Man.


Sibling B - A teenage sister.

(Spectacular Spider-Man II#104) - This girl worried about Bob with her mother until Spider-Man showed up.


Sibling C - A younger sister. Probably the youngest of the kids.

(Spectacular Spider-Man II#104) - She was surprised to see Spider-Man come in through the apartment window.

(Web of Spider-Man I#50) - She was present at the breakfast table as Bob read a newspaper article about Spider-Man.

(Web of Spider-Man I#56 (fb) ) - Bob brought her and their mother to ESU as he was registering for classes. They were attacked by neo-Nazis.

--Spectacular Spider-Man II#104 (Spectacular Spider-Man II#104, Web of Spider-Man I#50, Web of Spider-Man I#56 (fb)

images: (without ads)
All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z#9, Rocket Racer entry (main image)
Amazing Spider-Man I#172, p1, pan1 (first appearance)
Amazing Spider-Man I#183, p6, pan3 (unmasked)
OHotMU Update 89#6, p28, pan1 (ohotmu, 90's costume)
Spectacular Spider-Man II#170, p4, pan1 (fighting the Avengers) Web of Spider-Man Annual I#7, p35, pan1 (chasing Speed Demon)
Spider-Man II#55, p5, pan1 (Costume provided by Gary Wilsen)
Super-Villain Team-Up II#5, p1, pan5 (Escaping with Hypernova)
Avengers Academy#21, p3, pan1 (at Avengers Academy)
Amazing Spider-Man I#183, p6, pan3 (Emma Johnson Farrell)
Spectacular Spider-Man II#104, p15, pan7 (Sibling A)
Spectacular Spider-Man II#104, p15, pan8 (Sibling B)
Spectacular Spider-Man II#104, p16, pan1 (Sibling C)

Appearances:
Amazing Spider-Man I#172 (September, 1977) - Len Wein (writer/editor), Ross Andru (illustrator), Frank Giacoia (embellisher)
Amazing Spider-Man I#182 (July, 1978) - Marv Wolfman (writer/editor), Ross Andru (artist), Mike Esposito (embellisher)
Amazing Spider-Man I#183 (August, 1978) - Marv Wolfman (writer/editor), Ross Andru (pencils), Bob McLeod (inks)
Spectacular Spider-Man I#104 (July, 1985) - Bill Mantlo (story), Vince Giarrano & Pat Redding (art), Jim Owsley (editor)
Web of Spider-Man I#50 (May, 1989) - Gerry Conway (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Web of Spider-Man I#56 (November, 1989) - Gerry Conway (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Web of Spider-Man I#57 (Mid November, 1989) - Gerry Conway (writer), Alex Saviuk (penciler), Keith Williams (inker), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Spectacular Spider-Man Annual I#10 (1990) - Tony Isabella (writer), Alan Kupperberg (artist), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Marvel Tales II#242 (October, 1990) - Tony Isabella (writer), Alan Kupperberg (penciler), Rudy Nebres (inks), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Spectacular Spider-Man I#169 (October, 1990) - Gerry Conway (script), Sal Buscema (art), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Spectacular Spider-Man I#170 (November, 1990) - Gerry Conway (script), Sal Buscema (art), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Marvel Tales II#250 (June, 1991) - Tony Isabella (writer), Alan Kupperberg (artist), Jim Salicrup (editor)
Amazing Spider Man Annual I#25/3 (1991) - David Micheline (script), Alan Kupperberg (artist), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Spectacular Spider-Man Annual I#11/6 (1991) - David Michiline (writer), Alan Kupperberg (artist), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Web of Spider-Man Annual I#7/2 (1991) - Tony Isabella (writer), Paris Cullins (penciler), Dave Cooper (inker), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Web of Spider-Man Annual I#7/6 (1991) - David Michiline (writer), Alan Kupperberg (artist), Danny Fingeroth (editor)
Excalibur I#36 (April, 1991) - Scott Lobdell (writer), David Ross (penciler), Al Milgrom (inker), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Marvel Comics Presents I#97 (1992) - Sholly Fisch (writer), Mark Bagley (penciler), Don Hudson (inker), Terry Kavanagh (editor)
Captain Marvel II#2 (February, 1994) - Dwayne McDuffie (plot), Dwight D. Coye (script), M.D. Bright (penciler), Jensen & Kaalberg & McKenna (inkers), Sarra Mossoff (editor)
Spider-Man Unlimited I#14 (November, 1996) - Glenn Herdling (writer), Joe Bennett (penciler), Joe Pimentel (inker), Tim Dzon (inker), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Sensational Spider-Man I#17 (June, 1997) - Todd Dezago (writer), Mike Wieringo (artist), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Amazing Spider-Man II#13 (January, 2000) - Howard Mackie (script), John Byrne (story and art), Al Milgrom (inks), Ralph Macchio (editor)
Spider-Man's Tangled Web I#5 (October, 2001) - Peter Milligan (writer), Duncan Fegredo (artist), Axel Alonso (editor)
Spider-Man's Tangled Web I#13 (June, 2002) - Ron Zimmerman (writer), Sean Phillips (artist), Axel Alonso (editor)
The Hood I#1 (July, 2002) - Brian K. Vaughan (writer), Kyle Hotz (penciller), Eric Powell (inker), Tom Brevoort (editor)
Spider-Man's Tangled Web I#16 (September, 2002) - Daniel Way (writer), Leandro Fernandez (artist), Axel Alonso (editor)
Spider-Man's Tangled Web I#17 (October, 2002) - Daniel Way (writer), Leandro Fernandez (artist), Axel Alonso (editor)
Peter Parker: Spider-Man I#54 (May, 2003) - Zeb Wells (writer), Michael O'Hare (penciller), Wayne Faucher (inker), John Miesegaes (editor)
Peter Parker: Spider-Man I#55 (June, 2003) - Zeb Wells (writer),Khary Randolph (penciller), Wayne Faucher (inker), John Miesegaes (editor)
Punisher War Journal II#4 (April, 2007) - Matt Fraction (writer), Mike Deodato (artist), Axel Alonso (editor)
Civil War: Battle Damage Report (2007) - Anthony Flamini (head writer, coordinator), Ronald Byrd (writer), Jeff Youngquist (editor)
Mighty Avengers I#1 (May, 2007) - Brian Michael Bendis (writer), Frank Cho (artist), Tom Brevoort (editor)
The Loners#2 (July, 2007) - C.B. Cebulski (writer), Karl Moline (artist), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#1 (September, 2007) - Fred Van Lente (writer), Francis Portela (penciler), Terry Pallot (inker), Nathan Crosby (editor)
Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#2 (October, 2007) - Fred Van Lente (writer), Francis Portela (penciler), Terry Pallot (inker), Nathan Crosby (editor)
Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#3 (November, 2007) - Fred Van Lente (writer), Francis Portela (penciler), Terry Pallot (inker), Nathan Crosby (editor)
Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#4 (December, 2007) - Fred Van Lente (writer), Francis Portela (penciler), Terry Pallot (inker), Nathan Crosby (editor)
Super-Villain Team-Up: MODOK's 11#5 (January, 2008) - Fred Van Lente (writer), Francis Portela (penciler), Terry Pallot (inker), Nathan Crosby (editor)
Breaking into Comics the Marvel Way#1/4 (May, 2010) - Brian Michael Bendis (words), Christian Nauck (pencils), Terry Austin (inks), Daniel Ketchum and Jordan D. White (editors)
Avengers Academy I#21 (January, 2012) - Christos Gage (writer), Sean Chen (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Academy I#23 (February, 2012) - Christos Gage (writer), Tom Raney (penciler), Scott Hanna (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Avengers Academy I#26 (April, 2012) - Christos Gage (writer), Tom Grummett (penciler), Cory Hamscher (inker), Bill Rosemann (editor)
Young Avengers II#11 (December, 2013) - Kieron Gillen (writer), Jamie McKelvie (penciler), McKelvie, Kris Anka, & Mike Norton (inkers), Lauren Sankovitch (editor)
Axis: Hobgoblin#1 (December, 2014) - Kevin Shinick (writer), Javier Rodriguez (artist), Alvaro Lopez (inker), Ellie Pyle (editor)
Deadpool's Secret Secret Wars#1/2 (July, 2015) - Cullen Bunn (writer), Jacopo Camagni (artist), Jordan D. White (editor)
Power Man and Iron Fist III#2 (May, 2016) - David Walker (writer), Sanford Greene (artist), Jake Thomas (editor)
Season's Beatings#1/2 (February, 2017) - Jason Latour (writer), Chris Brenner (artist), Devin Lewis (editor)
Occupy Avengers I#4 (April, 2017) - David F. Walker (writer), Carlos Pacheco (penciler), Rafael Fonteriz (inker), Tom Brevoort, Darren Shan (editors)
Amazing Spider-Man VI#10 (November, 2022) - Zeb Wells (writer), Nick Dragotta (artist), Nick Lowe (editor)
She-Hulk IV#13 (July, 2023) - Rainbow Rowell (writer), Andres Genolet, Joe Quinones (artists), Nick Lowe (editor)

First Posted: 11/16/2017
Last updated: 09/26/2023

Any Additions/Corrections? please let me know.

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